Compare towns
Ira vs Brookfield vs Sheldon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ira | Brookfield | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,486 |
2,267Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
| Ira and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Ira and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
| Brookfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
| Sheldon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 18% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ira and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.